RC51 wrote:The joke is not a reference to The Fugitive. The reference is to Alex Kryeck from the X-Files - he lost his arm near the end, remember? One of the best quasi-villans in recent times.

Anyway, re the signing - I think what's more interesting is that the signing is only for one year. I would have thought the Canucks would want to tie up this young kid for a couple of years at least, especially if they see a good upside and role for him. We gave up a lot in the package that came this way. Sure, we have Luongo tied up for a number of years (at very significant $'s) but I think Nonis would want to also have Kraijchek under contract for a number of years particularly where his price will only go up over the years. I wonder which side was reluctant to commit to a longer term deal.

No long term deal is perfectly understandable. Nonis simply didn't have the cap room.

This year the boy is cheap. Nothing wrong with that. Let's hope that over the upcoming season (and deep playoff run . . . ) Joe Unpronounceable gives Nonis some stellar reasons to give him a raise next year.

Meerschaum wrote:No long term deal is perfectly understandable. Nonis simply didn't have the cap room.

This year the boy is cheap. Nothing wrong with that. Let's hope that over the upcoming season (and deep playoff run . . . ) Joe Unpronounceable gives Nonis some stellar reasons to give him a raise next year.

Yeah, and it's also understandable from Krajicek's place, he's got amazing upside, had a good year last year, will likely be playing with a very solid NHL defenseman this year, if I were Lucas, had a break-out year and was held to a long-term deal for a low amount because of Canuck cap problems, I'd kill my agent!

DavidPratt_ wrote:Salo was simply a terrific pickup. That's one thing that's important to remember, picking up defensemen at an age where they 'turn the corner' and get better and better is an art. Salo is a terrific player to have on this team.dp

Burkie's the man! Gotta agree that this was a beautiful trade. As you say, being able to pull off deals like that one is the work of an artist.

Lukas Krajicek will be Nonis's Sami Salo pickup. Krajicek will eventually be manning the point on our power play in just a few short years. This kid is a former 1st round draft pick and clearly has raw potential. All he needs to do is be given the minutes to fine tune his game and we just stole a future top defenseman as part of the Luongo deal.

The_Pauser wrote:Lukas Krajicek will be Nonis's Sami Salo pickup. Krajicek will eventually be manning the point on our power play in just a few short years. This kid is a former 1st round draft pick and clearly has raw potential. All he needs to do is be given the minutes to fine tune his game and we just stole a future top defenseman as part of the Luongo deal.

.

this reminded me a lot about last offseason:

Steve McCarthy will be Nonis's Sami Salo pickup. McCarthy will eventually be manning the point on our power play in just a few short years. This kid is a former 1st round draft pick and clearly has raw potential.

I agree NIFTO, but it is always that story whenever you get a former 1st rounder. He obviously was highly regarded at one point, and maybe on this team, in this praticular situation, with this coach, he can realize that potential.

One thing is for sure though, if the Canucks want to make the playoffs one of Krajicek or Bieksa is going to have to become a legit top 4 d-man this year. I don't think Bieksa will be able to establish himself in that role this year, so I have some pretty lofty hopes of Krajicek.

Whether or not they will be realized is another matter. He is still a very raw talent, and until I see him play more than a handful of games, I am not willing to evaluate or proclaim him the next anything, be it a Sami Salo or Steve McCarthy.

The_Pauser wrote:Lukas Krajicek will be Nonis's Sami Salo pickup. Krajicek will eventually be manning the point on our power play in just a few short years. This kid is a former 1st round draft pick and clearly has raw potential. All he needs to do is be given the minutes to fine tune his game and we just stole a future top defenseman as part of the Luongo deal.

.

this reminded me a lot about last offseason:

Steve McCarthy will be Nonis's Sami Salo pickup. McCarthy will eventually be manning the point on our power play in just a few short years. This kid is a former 1st round draft pick and clearly has raw potential.

On the bright side, McCarthy I believe struggled since he got to the NHL, so was seen as a bit of a reclamation project, whereas Krajicek has played solidly for Florida, so it's more of a "keep up the good work".

WCE wrote:I agree NIFTO, but it is always that story whenever you get a former 1st rounder. He obviously was highly regarded at one point, and maybe on this team, in this praticular situation, with this coach, he can realize that potential.

One thing is for sure though, if the Canucks want to make the playoffs one of Krajicek or Bieksa is going to have to become a legit top 4 d-man this year. I don't think Bieksa will be able to establish himself in that role this year, so I have some pretty lofty hopes of Krajicek.

Whether or not they will be realized is another matter. He is still a very raw talent, and until I see him play more than a handful of games, I am not willing to evaluate or proclaim him the next anything, be it a Sami Salo or Steve McCarthy.

I'm thinking Bourdon more than Bieksa, along with Krajicek, according to someone on another forum who did a scouting report on the prospects camp, Bourdon is a "man among boys" there, and that's pretty much what people were saying of him at the WJC's...

MarkMM wrote:
On the bright side, McCarthy I believe struggled since he got to the NHL, so was seen as a bit of a reclamation project, whereas Krajicek has played solidly for Florida, so it's more of a "keep up the good work".

McCarthy had solidfied himself as a top 4 dman in Chicago before he went down to injuries that year as well... his icetime was up there, and he was putting up points, while playing a good 2-way game... he seemed to have been developing again, then got injured.

When he arrived in Vancouver a lot of this was highlighted - and since he's been gone and gone to a team lacking defensive depth and getting all sorts of minutes, he's again supposedly back on track?

The problem is that it's difficult to compare how good a dman is, until they play in a good system - hopefully Krajicek has the chance to prove that next season, if the canucks team can come together. But in some systems, he might not have seen any NHL action by now. He played for a team that also had questionable depth on defense for a few years, and that no doubt helped get him some time, and show his promise - not unlike McCarthy did before and after leaving Vancouver - and he even played very well during the injuries to Salo and Jovo, when he was getting big icetime here.

Reading into what Bert said today, I wonder how much McCarthy was traded more for lockeroom issues than playing ability...if that was the case, maybe McCarthy really wasn't a bad player, in which case it still sets a good precedent for Krajicek, sans attitude/chemistry problems.

McCarthy had played a top 4 role FOR A HANDFUL of games with theh Blackhawks. He hadn't solidifed himself at all in that position. Then he got hurt. he was really only playing those minutes for a month or so. Nor was he ever comparable to Salo, as Sami whenever he was healthy was always playing a top-4 (even top-3) role with the Sens. I think the major problem with McCarthy was that just as he was trying to establish himself as a top 4 guy he got injured. and then he never played any hockey during the lockout year. Tough as a young guy. Then he got to a completely different system where he had trouble adjusting and just as he adjusted and started playing good hockey he again got injured.

Kracijek is a bit different I think. First Florida was not nearly as bad a team as Chicago. An above 0.500 team in fact. Kracijek played an entire year and hasn't had the injury troubles.

He also hasn't lived up to expectations and is still a question mark but I'm a little more confident with him then McCarthy.